The Israel-Morocco line “will help promote tourism, trade and fruitful economic and political cooperation between the two countries,” said Israeli Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov.
El Al is expected to operate up to five flights a week to Marrakech and Casablanca on Boeing 737s, with economy and business class options.
The first direct commercial flight between Israel and Morocco landed at Menara Airport in Marrakesh on Sunday.
Passengers from Tel Aviv arrived on an Israir flight and were met with dates, cakes, and mint tea, at a welcoming ceremony organized in their honor.
A second flight by Israel’s national carrier El Al also arrived later on Sunday.
Israel and Morocco signed a normalization agreement in December as part of the Abraham Accords. Part of the agreement included allowing regular flights between the two countries, with Israelis being allowed to visit Morocco as tourists.
The Israel-Morocco line “will help promote tourism, trade and fruitful economic and political cooperation between the two countries,” said Israeli Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov, who participated in a ceremony at the airport.
“We continue to build infrastructure and create tourist anchors that will promote tourism to Israel for the day we beat the coronavirus. The Israel-Morocco aviation line is undoubtedly an important and significant anchor,” he said
Also participating in the ceremony were El Al CEO Avigal Sorek, El Al chairman Amikam Ben-Zvi and Morocco’s ambassador to Israel Ibrahim Bayod.
“This is another step in the actual realization of the roads opened and the bridges established between the citizens of the two countries as part of the Abraham Accords,” said Sorek.
El Al is expected to operate up to five flights a week to Marrakech and Casablanca on Boeing 737s, with economy and business class options.
Israir will operate two flights a week. Both Israir and El Al served traditional Moroccan cuisine on the inaugural flights, with Israir’s stewards wearing traditional Moroccan garb.
Israeli airline Arkia and Morocco’s Royal Air Maroc are also planning to start flights in August.
Around 800,000 Israelis are originally from Morocco.